Why Brendan Rodgers might fancy Southampton FC job after Celtic exit | OneFootball

FLW looks at why the 52-year-old could be attracted to the St Mary's vacancy

Southampton FC's ownership group, Sport Republic, are facing the all-too-familiar predicament of appointing yet another manager or head coach to take the reins at St Mary's following the dismissal of Will Still on Sunday evening.

At the time of the 32-year-old's appointment, it seemed as though Dragan Solak and other members of the Saints hierarchy would afford Still plenty of time to oversee a much-needed rebuilding job on the South Coast.

However, the rot which firmly set in during a 12-point Premier League relegation campaign has continued in the opening weeks of the Championship season, with Southampton finding themselves in 21st, accumulating as many points after 13 games, winning just two in the process.

Despite the club being in such a lowly position, many high-profile names are said to have been targeted by the board, including Frank Lampard, Mark Robins, a potential reunion with Russell Martin, as well as Brendan Rodgers, who is now out of work following his recent resignation at Celtic.

Rodgers returned to Parkhead in 2023 following Ange Postecoglou's move to Tottenham Hotspur, winning a further two SPFL titles before departing the club last week after a difficult start to the domestic and European campaign for the Bhoys.

With that being said, FLW has looked into THREE reasons why the 52-year-old may be attracted to the vacancy on the south coast of England...

Brendan Rodgers could eventually add another Championship promotion to his CV

It has been 14 years since the Northern Irishman managed at Championship level, but his last campaign at second-tier level was one of immense success with Swansea City.

After enjoying previous spells with Watford and Reading, Rodgers took over in South Wales in the summer of 2010 as the Swans looked to break into the play-off picture after finishing seventh the previous season.

He was able to galvanise a squad which had a nice blend of youth and experience towards the top of the Championship, jostling for promotion alongside QPR, Norwich City and bitter rivals, Cardiff City.

Eventually, one of the most exciting seasons in Swansea's history, which was spearheaded by Scott Sinclair's 19 goals, ended in success at Wembley Stadium in a pulsating 4-2 success over Reading, with the aforementioned forward netting a hat-trick.

Ultimately, it was a day which paved the way for seven unbroken years of top-flight football for the Swans and the start of an upward managerial trajectory for Rodgers, who went on to Liverpool the following year.

If he took the reins at St Mary's, there is every chance a similar fate could, eventually, transpire.

Brendan Rodgers could get the best out of Southampton's attacking options

Throughout his time in the dugout, Rodgers has worked with an array of exceptional forward players, such as Luis Suárez, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy and Kyogo Furuhashi.

On paper, Saints have a frontline which would normally be the envy of many divisional rivals, particularly with options such as Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer, with the former previously netting 24 goals and posting 12 assists during the club's play-off winning campaign of 2023/24.

However, the duo and Damion Downs have mustered just five goals between them thus far, whilst Ross Stewart is back on the treatment table.

Given his experience of operating with a high-energy system which allows the ball to be moved from back to front at rather quick speed, Saints could be looking at a much more prolific return from those names for the remainder of the season should Rodgers be appointed, and one which could still fire them into play-off contention with the table still heavily congested.

Brendan Rodgers may want to step away from top-level limelight

For so long, Rodgers has faced the intense pressure of managing in the Premier League or at Parkhead, which brings its own demands.

As such, he may want to step away from the limelight and take on a different challenge, which is certainly on the table with Southampton.

Of course, there is pressure for success on the South Coast when assessing the financial resources, current squad and recent history of the club in comparison to the vast majority of their Championship rivals. However, it's clear that supporters are placing most of the blame on Sport Republic's shoulders rather than those in the dugout.

Therefore, Rodgers would receive immediate backing from those on the terraces, whilst the opportunity of becoming a cult hero at a club needing quick stability could come further down the line.